Distributing system for objects



April 28, 1931- J. E. ALBERTOLI DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR OBJECTS FiledApril 24. 1929 //V JW/YETflZ-BEETOL/ m X 601M 3 H/S ATTORNEY PatentedApr. 28, 1931 JOHN E. ALBERTOLI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIADISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR OBJECTS Application filed April. 24,

This invention relates to conveyors for objects, and particularly toconveyors for distributing cans.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a distributingsystem for the eificient and continuous feeding of objects to aplurality of chutes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of conveying mechanismin which means are provided for preventing jamming of objects over themouths of the chutes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means, in aconveying mechanism of the character described, for controlling thepassage of objects onto the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved countersfor the objects, and positioned adjacent the chutes.

My invention possesses other objects and valuable features, some ofwhich will be set forth in the following description of my inventionwhich is illustrated in the drawings forming part of the specification.It

is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made bythe said description and drawings, as I may adopt varying forms of myinvention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a distributing system embodying thisinvention. Portions of the structure are omitted to shorten the view;and a portion of the view is shown in section to disclose clearly theconstruction.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the counter, the direction of the viewbeing indicated by arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a counter disk, the direction of theview being indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. 1.

In terms of broad inclusion, the distributing system of this invention,when used for the distribution of cans, comprises a plurality of uprightcan chutes conveniently arranged adjacent the workers stations andopening at their upper ends into a can trackway, preferably forming aclosed path for :0 the travel of cans, the function of which is tosupply the chutes with cans as fast as they 1929. Serial No. 357,728.

are removed from the bottoms of the chutes by the workers. Means areprovided for moving a succession of cans along the trackway; and meansare also rovided to prevent jamming of the cans ad acent the openingsinto the can chute. Control means are positioned adjacent a feed chutefrom which cans pass onto the can trackway, to prevent passage of thecans onto the trackway if it is crowded with cans or if there is notsufiicient space between cans on the trackway.

Each can chute is provided with means to retainthe cans therein, untilthe bottom can is extracted by the worker, whereupon the column of cansin each can chute moves downwardly one step and a fresh can enters atthe top of the chute. Also, a counter is preferably positioned adjacenteach chute, in order that the number of cans removed from the chute maybe indicated. It is thus seen that the chutes are always full of cansand a can is always available at the bottom for the worker.

In terms of greater detail, the distributing system of this inventioncomprises a plurality of vertically disposed and upwardly extending canchutes 2 formed by bars 3 and 4 arranged to provide a passage for asingle file or succession of cans 6. The bottom of each can chutepreferably leads to a workers station where the cans are filled by theworker, all in a manner common to canneries. Means are provided forresiliently retaining cans in the chute, comprising an arm 7 held by thespring 8 against the side of the chute and mounted on the rod 9journaled for pivotal movement on the bracket 11, extending from thechute. Integral with the arm 7 is a finger 12 extending transverselypart way across the bottom of the chute. The arm 7 and finger 12therefore act as a latch to control the movement of the column of cans,and to permit removal of the cans one at a time.

It is often desirable to keep track of the number of-cans removed fromeach chute, therefore it is preferred to employ a counter mechanism incombination with the chutes. Adjacent the bottom of each chute ispositioned a frame comprising a pair of spaced l a large gear 28 fixedfor rotation with the plates 13, and on which are journaled a pluralityof shafts 14, 15 and 16. Upon. the shaft 14 are fixed a hub 17 and alarge gear 18, in mesh with a smaller gear 19 mounted for rotation withthe ad'acent shaft 15. A dial 21 is journaled on t e hub 17 andfrictionally engages its mounting so that it may turn therewith whenrotated The dial may be set by hand by merely turning it; and tofacilitate this, lugs 22 are provided on the surface of the dial. Shaft15 also carries a similarly mounted dial 23 anda large gear 24, in meshwith the smaller gear 26 mounted on the shaft 16. The latter shaftcarries a dial 27 mounted similarly to the dial 21; and

shaft meshes .with the small gear 29 keyed to the shaft 31 journaled onthe frame 13. Shaft 31 is slidably mounted to permit disengagement ofgears 29 and 28, the spring 32 normally holding these gears inengagement.-

A star wheel 33, positioned so that only one' point at a time projectsinto the chute, is mounted for rotation with the shaft 31. It is thusseen that upon movement of the bottom can from the chute, the cans willpass downwardly, thereby movingthe star wheel 33 to turn the lower dial27 one scale graduation. The gear ratios and the scales on the counterdials are such that upon one complete revolution of a dial having alarger scale than that of the adjacent dial, the adjacent dial movesjust one graduation, according to Well known practice. Pointers 34,fixed to the counter frame and projecting over the dials, are providedfor taking readings. lVhen it is desired to set the dials at zeroposition, this may be conveniently done by merely turning the dialsabout their shafts until the zero position of each dial registers witheach of the fixed pointers 34.

- At their upper ends, the can chutes 2 open into the lower reach 35 ofa can trackway, mounted on any suitable framework. The reach is open atthe top and comprises the bottom 36 and sides 37 so spaced as to permita succession of cans to roll therealong. Spaced from lower reach 35 is asimilarly constructed upper reach 38 onto which cans are fed or passed,and which is supported on the lower reach by means of uprights 39.Movement is imparted to the cans along the trackway by an endless belt41 passing over the pulleys 42 and 43 mounted between the upper andlower reaches and adjacent their ends. One of the pulleys is driven byany suitable prime mover to impart movement to the belt. The upper reachof the belt travels on the bottom of the upper reach 38 of the trackway,while the lower reach of the belt is spaced from the bottom of the lowerreach 35 so'that the cans are carried by the belt on the upper reach androlled along by the belt on the lower reach.

Means, connecting the trackway reaches,

are provided to form a closed path for the travel of cans. Substantiallysemi-circular plates 44 are secured to the sides of the trackway andproject beyond pulleys 42 and 43 to form side guides for the cans.Flexible straps 46, passing around pulleys 42 and 43, are securedadjacent the ends of the lower reach 35 and are resiliently held againstthe cans passing over the pulleys by springs 47 secured to supports 48mounted on the upper reach. A continuous trackway is thus provided forthe travel of cans; so that if the chutes opening from the lower reachare all filled with cans, cans-0n the lower reach may be moved onto theupper reach and again moved to the lower reach, which operation may becontinued until the chutes are capable of receiving cans.

The length of each chute is such that the upper surface of the top canof the column of cans in the chute lies substantially even with thebottom of the lower reach of the trackway when the chute is filled. Thispermits the cans to pass over the chutes without jamming, as they aremoved along the trackway until a partially filled or empty chute isreached. In order to prevent jamming of cans adjacent the chute openingsif the chutes are not completely filled, rollers 51 are journaledadjacent the far edge of each chute opening so that a can will eitherfall into the chute or strike the roller and be carried thereover by themoving belt 41. which, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, is moved in acounter-clockwise direction.

Means are provided for passing or feeding cans onto the trackway; andmeans are also provided for controlling the passage of cans so as toprevent their deposit onto the trackway if it is crowded with cans.Mounted above the upper reach of the trackway by supports 52 is a feedchute 53 sloping downwardly in the direction of movement of belt 41, andhaving the bottom 54 and sides 55. The lower end of the chute isprovided with an aperture 56 through which cans may discharge onto thebelt 41 which moves them along the trackway; and in order to preventcans from rolling along cans that may be on the trackway ahead of thechute, rim 57 is provided at the end of the chute. A slot 58 is formedin the bottom of chute 53: and projecting through the slot and therebyinterposed in the chute, is a star wheel 59 journaled in the brack t 61on the bottom of the chute. When the upper reach of the trackway iscrowded with cans that are moved thereon from the lower reach whenchutes 2 are unable to receive all the cans moved thereover, a point ofthe star wheel is adapted to engage roller 62 journaled on the arm 63pivoted on the bracket 64, secured to the upper reach of the trackway.The cans passing beneath the roller hold it in engagement with the starwheel to prevent rotation thereof and thereby hold cans in feed chute53. When there is sufficient space between cans on the upper reach ofthe trackway to permit lowcring of arm-63 and thereby allow rotation ofthe star wheel, cans will then pass onto the trackway from the feedchute 53.

It is preferred to provide an arrangement of this character for thelower reach of the trackway; therefore the arm 63 is pivotallyconnected, by link 66, with a similarly mounted arm 67 on which isjournaled roller 68 adapted to rest on the cans in the lower reach ofthe trackway. The belt 41 is sufliciently narrow to allow the cans toproject beyond its side edges and thereby permit roller 68 to ridethereon. If the cans in the lower reach of the trackway are all adjacenteach other without spaces therebetween, arm 67 is held up by the cans,thus causing roller 62 on arm 63 to engage the star wheel, therebypreventing discharge of cans onto the trackway. By the use of thedescribed means for controlling passage of the cans onto the trackway,it is seen that if either of the trackway reaches are crowded or filledto capacity,

cans are held in the chute 53.

used for other purposes.

the cans therealong and The conveying mechanism of this invention isespecially adapted for rolling or moving cans of small size, due to thefact that cans of this character are stronger than cans of larger sizeand are therefor not so very apt to become dented by the rolling action.

Although the conveying mechanism is described in combination with chutesleading to workers stations, it may be conveniently For instance, themechanism may be used as a main conveying means, the chutes extendingtherefrom being designed to lead to other branch conveyors.

I claim:

1. A can distributing system comprising a can trackway having reachesconnected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, a can chuteopening from the trackway, and an endless belt for carrying cans'alongone of said reaches and for rolling the cans along another of saidreaches.

2. A can distributing system comprising a can trackway having reachesconnected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, a can chuteopening from the trackway, and an endless belt for movin the cans alongsaid trackwa the bottom 0 one of cans therealong.

3. A can distributing system comprising a can trackway having upper andlower reaches connected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, acan chute opening from the trackway, and an endless belt for moving thecans along said trackway, said belt resting on the bottom of the upperreach to carry ing spaced from the bottom of the lower reach to roll thecans therealong.

said reaches to roll the a can trackway said belt being spaced from p 4.A can distributing system comprising a can trackway having upper andlower reaches connected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, acan chute opening from the lower reach of said trackway, and an endlessbelt for moving the cans along said trackway, said belt resting on thebottom of the upper reach to carry the cans therealong and being spacedfrom the bottom of the lower reach to roll the cans therealong.

5. A can distributing system comprising having upper and lower reachesconnected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, a can chuteopening from the lower reach of said trackway, means for feeding cansonto the upper reach of said trackway, and an endless belt for movingthe cans along said trackway, said belt resting on the bottom of theupper reach and being spaced from the bottom of the lower reach.

6. A can distributing system comprising a can trackway having upper andlower reaches connected to form a closed path for the travel of cans, acan chute opening from the lower reach of said trackway, means forfeeding cans onto the upper reach of said trackway, means for controllinthe feeding of cans thereon, and an endless ielt for moving the cansalong said trackway, said belt resting on the bottom of the upper reachand being spaced from the bottom of the lower reach.

7. A distributing system for objects comprising a trackway, a chute forpassing objects onto the trackway and under which the objects may passalong said trackway, a star wheel interposed in said chute, and movablymounted means engageable with said star wheel and with the objectspassing under said chute to prevent passage of objects onto the trackwaywhen it is crowded.

8. A distributing system for objects comprising a trackway forming aclosed path for the travel of the objects, a chute opening from saidtrackway, a chute for passing objects onto the trackway and under whichthe objects may pass along said trackway, a star wheel interposed insaid chute, and movably mounted means engageable with said star wheeland with the objects passing under said chute to prevent passage ofobjects onto the trackway when it is crowded.

9. A distributing system for objects comprising a trackwayforming aclosed path for the travel of the objects, a chute opening from thetrackway, means for moving the objects along said' trackway, and aroller mounted adjacent an edge of the chute to preyent jamming ofobjects at the chute openmg.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set in hand.

y JOHN E. ALBERTOLI.

